Local chef Tommy Paterson has spent countless hours in the kitchen perfecting his gnocchi recipe and can’t get enough of Italian “comfort food”.
But he’s never set foot in Italy.
The Scottish-raised cook — who immigrated to Australia in 2015 — is head chef of Mt Lawley’s The Elford of Three Pound Group.
He claims the best gnocchi he’s ever had was in a restaurant in Glasgow that utilised a French style and white batter to prepare the potato-based favourite.
“That’s probably the best gnocchi that I’ve tried. I’ve never been to Italy, so I’ve never tried gnocchi in Italy,” he told PerthNow.
Serving up his specialty Herb & Ricotta gnocchi dish along the melting pot that is Beaufort Street, Chef Paterson is offering his gnocchi no-nos and tasty tips to perfect your recipe at home.
But first, should gnocchi be labelled as pasta or its own unique sub-category?
“I would consider it pasta because it’s made with eggs and flour. The only difference is you add potato in, which gives it a lighter texture,” Chef Paterson said.
How do you master it at home?
“First and foremost, you just have to have a recipe,” he added.
“The more you make gnocchi, the kind of easier it is and the more familiar you become with how the dough should feel in your hands and when you’re rolling it.”
Aside from following a recipe, he says to be wary of the natural variance in the quality and quantities of ingredients — with eggs differing in size and some potatoes being wetter than others.
So how can you elevate gnocchi from a weekly go-to dinner option to a certified crowd-pleaser?
Herbs, herbs and more herbs, he insists.
“Parsley, chives, dill, thyme,” unlock loads of flavour.
“But generally, to make it really sing, I think adding good quality cheese to it, so ricotta and grated parmesan just gives it that depth of flavour and that depth of seasoning.”
Watch The Elford’s head chef Tommy Paterson re-create his gnocchi recipe for PerthNow Cooks here.